Christian Democrats seek to renew Italian coalition

ByWITH ANALYSIS FROM MONITOR CORRESPONDENTS AROUND THE WORLDEDITED BY RANDY SHIPPOctober 1, 1980

Rome
— Italy's Christian Democratic Party wants to renew its coalition with Socialists and Republicans to form the country's 40th postwar government. "We believe our relationship with the Socialists and the Republicans must be confirmed," party secretary Flaminio Piccoli said, after discussing the crisis with 84-year-old President Sandro Pertini. Pertini held his second day of political consultations since the collapse of Prime Minister Francesco Cossiga's coalition government. He was also meeting leaders of the Socialist, Republican, Communist, and other parties before annoncing a prime minister-designate.